A postcard with the message "Wish you were here?" is being sent to 700 criminals as part of a campaign to stop them reoffending.

West Midlands Police say those targeted were believed to be responsible for committing more than 47,000 crimes in the region in the last 12 months.

The cards, which carry a picture of Birmingham jail, are part of Operation Headway, a month-long initiative.

Research found that 10% of offenders commit about half of all serious crime.

The initiative will also see probation officers visiting the homes of repeat offenders, particularly those involved in robbery, car crime and burglary.

'Persistent offenders'

West Midlands Police's Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said: "For this operation to be a success we need to work closely with our colleagues from other agencies, in particular the Crown Prosecution Service, and the courts.

"As well as targeting persistent offenders and locking criminals up, an important part of the initiative will involve attempting to encourage them to move away from a life of crime.

"To do this we will be looking to other partners such as the probation service and housing agencies to provide the necessary support to help divert offenders away from crime."

The postcard also gives advice for those looking to move away from crime and information on agencies they can contact for help.